Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Within a small but quaint courtyard, Rou'er enthusiastically shouted as she swung her sword at Ming Yue. Despite her childlike demeanor, her attacks were sharper than ever, moving with the intent to defeat her opponent.      

But it was Ming Yue she was sparring with, not some ordinary person.      

"Hehe, you know, that shouting your next move just tells me when and where you're going to attack, right?"     

She chuckled, parrying the girl's attacks with nothing more than a stick.      

Rou'er took a step back, forced away by the parries. She pointed her sword at the young woman, breathing hard but smiling.      

"Why not? I see other people do it, why can't I? I think it makes me look cooler! Don't you call out your moves too?" she replied before charging in.      

Their weapons clashed against one another and the sparring session continued.      

"Mm, I guess it makes things cooler but I don't really call them out. Besides, you telling me that you're going to attack is different from you shouting out the name of a technique. It's not like your opponent will know the technique just from the name", Ming Yue explained.      

"Ooh, in that case, Heart Destroying Stab!"     

Rou'er suddenly lunged forward, thrusting her sword right where the heart was. However, as swift as she was, the girl felt her sword get smacked to the side as a wooden stick came, hitting her right on the forehead.      

"Ouch!"     

She lowered her sword, touching the spot where she had been struck. It felt like someone had flicked her forehead quite hard. Putting the stick away, Ming Yue walked up, looking at the reddening spot.      

"You'll be fine but that's enough for today."      

She walked back into the tea shop where Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were lazily watching at the doorstep. Though they quickly got up once they realized that it was over. Along with Rou'er, the trio followed Ming Yue into the shop.      

"You haven't gone out in a while, are you planning to soon?" the girl asked.      

The cultivator glanced over her shoulder, looking at Rou'er before looking away. She was silent for a few seconds before answering.      

"I'm... not sure."     

After making such a big commotion, both she and Ying Yi agreed that it was a good time to lay low for a little bit, just long enough for the rumors to die down. With so much information going around, it was hard to discern which rumors were about the last of the Fourteen Evils and which were about her.      

Rou'er revealed a bit of surprise on her face, opening her mouth but not uttering a word.      

"Really? Do you plan on staying for a while?" she then asked, there was a hopeful tone to her voice.      

By now, the group entered the main dining room, taking a table close to the kitchen. They could hear a knife chopping vegetables along with a billowing fire as Elder Fei and Cui Fen prepared to open the tea shop.      

Facing Rou'er directly, Ming Yue felt somewhat curious.     

"Why do you ask? Is there something going on?" she questioned.      

The girl pulled back a bit, almost hesitating to answer but Ming Yue raised a brow.      

"What is it? Tell me."     

Rou'er still seemed hesitant but she revealed it.      

"Well, since there have been fewer evil cultivators now, especially after the Redmist Sanctuary here was destroyed. And I hear that someone is apparently hunting them so they getting scared. But because of that, the sects aren't overextended now. A lot of the senior and junior disciples as well as the elders of the Eternal Sword Sect are coming back too like Brother Fei."     

Hearing her mention, Fei Xian, Elder Fei's nephew, Ming Yue couldn't help but reminisce about him. Considering how long it's been, she was curious as to how he and his partner were doing.      

"Is he doing well?" she asked.     

Rou'er nodded with a big grin on her face.      

"Yep, he's doing great! He actually became partners with Senior Sister Qi Yao! They had gone out together to explore the continents. In fact, they plan on going to the Beast Continent next!" she answered.      

"Mm, Qi Yao, I remember now. They're both doing well, that's good to hear."     

Ming Yue thought of them fondly, knowing that they were happy together made her feel content.      

"Now then, since they're returning, what's going to happen?"      

Asking this, Rou'er turned a bit quiet before responding.      

"Actually because of the sudden rise in crime and evil, almost all of the sects had sent out disciples to fight them as a form of training, this also includes those that fought in the war. Many had died but those that survived ended up being much stronger than before. They are also very restless too so a tournament is being held soon. It will be in the capital, Five Element City. It's going to involve every sect so there's going to be hundreds", she explained.     

"Really?"      

Ming Yue seemed slightly interested though not as a participant. But then, Elder Fei's voice echoed out from the kitchen.      

"Well, she's going to join in as well!"      

Hearing that, the young woman's interest rose up as she looked at Rou'er, who looked both embarrassed and annoyed.      

"Oh, I was going to tell her! Why'd you have to say it?!" she turned towards the kitchen, yelling back.      

And then, Cui Fen walked out, carrying a few plates of food and placing them on the table. There were even plates for Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, placed on the floor beside her. She looked at her daughter with a smile.      

"Well, from the sound of it, you didn't seem to want to tell her so we did it. Was that not true?" she asked.      

"But... I... Still, that's not fair. I wanted to tell her!"     

Elder Fei followed, carrying some bowls and chopsticks for everyone. He set them down before the pair took their seat at the table.      

"I mean, there's more to it, isn't there? You must have something else to say?" he said.      

He looked at Rou'er before turning to Ming Yue. Grabbing his chopsticks, he tapped them on the table before eating.      

The girl looked at him before looking at Ming Yue, sharing a gaze between them.      

"Well, since you came back, we've been sparring and training a lot. I also had some lessons from Elder Xiang too. And even though I haven't landed a hit on you yet, I definitely got stronger. So I decided to join and I want you to come with us to watch."     

Once it was said, the family of three all looked at her, waiting for a response.      

There wasn't an immediate answer from her. At first, she was somewhat taken aback by the invitation. It was one thing to participate and it was another to watch it for someone else. Ming Yue thought carefully about it. There were still rumors going around and she could risk getting recognized for it going to such a large event.     

However, she couldn't say no to Rou'er.      

"Alright but, no one knows that I'm still alive so I won't be in the stands but I'll be watching", she said.      

The girl's face didn't seem disappointed at all, nodding with a smile.      

"That's alright! You're coming to watch me! I don't know if I'll reach the top spot but I'll make sure that I'll make all of you proud!"     

Both Elder Fei and Cui Fen smiled, looking at their daughter before facing Ming Yue, showing a grateful smile.     

"Luckily, we can close the shop for a week or two to watch as well!" said Cui Fen.     

Seeing them like this made Ming Yue smile as well.      

The tournament wasn't very far away, just a month or two so it wouldn't be long now.